Innovation

📺 LG Electronics unveiled Pro:Centric+ at HITEC 2025 (June 16–19, Booth #3805). Pro:Centric+ integrates third-party services into hotel TVs, reducing operating costs and increasing safety while simplifying installation and management. The platform supports energy management, advertising insertion, casting services, location services, and Wi-Fi monitoring. Anacove and TraknProtect showcase integrations for energy savings and staff safety. A new web interface simplifies device management. LG emphasizes revenue opportunities through advertising and monetization programs for hotel owners and brands.

📈 Direct bookings and online agency bookings represent 21% of total hotel bookings. Data from December 2024 to March 2025 across 21,000 properties in 310 cities shows 20% through global distribution systems, 19% from walk-ins/groups, and 18% via direct calls. Marketing teams now use third-party agencies, with 66% on social media and 57% on digital marketing. Hotels face challenges with data integration and demand tracking; 80% of them spend up to two days weekly on manual reporting. AI investment is a low priority.

📶 Awareness of eSIMs is low in the US, UK, and China, with only 33% of consumers globally aware. A YouGov survey of over 6,500 adults shows 52% of US respondents are unaware of eSIM technology. China leads in usage, with 27% having tried it. Despite this, 49% of consumers are open to using eSIMs for travel, with higher interest in the UK (56%) and China (60%). Companies like Revolut and Carrefour are already offering travel eSIM services.

🌏 Sunweb, a major tour operator, partners with Hubby to provide eSIM-based internet access in 200+ destinations, enhancing travel experiences for customers from the Netherlands, France, Belgium, Germany, UK, Sweden, and Denmark. Customers traveling to Turkey, Tunisia, Morocco, and Egypt can use their regular mobile numbers without roaming charges. The 1GB eSIM is activated upon arrival, offering a simple solution for connectivity through Sunweb’s branded app.

💻 2024 saw a pivotal shift as smaller AI models, one-hundredth the size of older models, began outperforming larger ones in tasks like natural language processing. Nearly 90% of AI models are now developed by companies, focusing on real-world needs. Open-weight AI models became a practical choice by early 2025, offering flexibility and cost-effectiveness. These advancements enable hospitality businesses to improve efficiencies and customer experiences, reducing dependence on cloud infrastructure and proprietary systems.

📈 Select-service hotel brands require a lean yet effective revenue strategy. Their limitations complicate the use of traditional RMS, designed for larger operations. Enter GameTime—a cloud-based RMS tailored for select-service hotels, offering automated rate updates, pricing every 8 hours, and forecasts up to 365 days ahead. It includes features like Autopilot, mobile access, and fast onboarding, improving operational efficiency and revenue growth. Join the GameTime webinar on July 16 for a live demonstration.

📞 1 in 5 Americans find their calls to restaurants often ignored, and 69% might abandon a restaurant if unanswered. Among millennials, this rises to 72%. 89% of Americans, led by 95% Gen Z, 92% of Millennials, and 80% of Baby Boomers, are open to AI agents for tasks like reservations (47%) and order tracking (42%). Hostie, an AI platform, helps restaurants manage communications. Survey conducted by The Harris Poll, May 29-June 2, 2025, with 2,065 U.S. adults.

🤖 In 2025, agentic AI is highlighted as the top trend in Gartner's report. This AI type functions autonomously, enhancing industries by executing complex workflows and adapting to changes. In hospitality, agentic AI boosts customer service by managing simpler tasks and optimizing resources. However, clear goals and robust data management are crucial, with Master Data Management ensuring unified, accessible data. The AI transformation demands an architectural shift for better collaboration, aiming to elevate customer satisfaction through advanced automation.

💸 Hospitality groups face complex challenges in managing employee benefits billing, especially across multiple states with various benefits plans. Manual billing processes often result in errors, leading to overpayments and disrupted coverage. Automated solutions can identify discrepancies, averaging around 5% of total premium expenses, and save significant costs. Anthony Farinella from Triton Benefits & HR Solutions highlights that unchecked billing errors can lead to hundreds of thousands in overpayments annually. Automation provides clarity, scalability, and accurate property-level cost allocation.